Light-signal.



C. S. SNAVELY.

LIGHT SIGNAL.

APPLiCATloN FILED lum 79. mm.

1,298,809. Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WI TNESSES m e v m-MQM, nq l. Meer fm 77W@ U i BY @cz-m #n ATTORNEY,

C. S. SNAVELY.

LIGHT SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 29, ISIS.

1,298,809 Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

l 3 SHEETS- SHEET 2- IN VENTOR.

#+/2 ATTURNEY.

WIT'VESSES:

C. S. SNAVELY.

UGHT SiGNAL.

APPLICATION HLED luLY 29. w18.

MWQMP w m m w .@.LN w w m im 1N. -l Q DL Y B ////////v/V/v/V Q www. uw s WW/MW@ u M4 m y CLARENCE S. SYNAlVELY, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR T0 THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, 0F SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

Continuation in part of application Serial No. 175,611, led .Tune 19, 1917. This application ledJuly 29,

Specification of Letters Patent.

LIGHT-SIGNAL.

1918. Serial. No. 247,179.

p T0 all whom t may concern.'

. so far as the subject matter common to the -two is concerned.

One ob]ect of my inventlon 1s the provision of a signal capable of projecting in one com-v mon direction from one common area, a plurality of beams of light differing in color, from a plurality of diii'erent sources. A further object of the invention is the provision of a signal of this character in which a beam of parallel rays is projected from each source of light, and in which the parallelism of each beam is maintained throughout the signal, thus avoidi the necessity for a condensing or objective ens.

Brieiiy stated, a signal embodying my invention comprises a plurality of sources of' light, and means for projecting parallel rays of light from each source to a common area, lthe rays from the several sources diferlng 1n color. Located within the common area is a light deilector which is constructed to project the beams from all of the sources in one common direction so that each beam is visible from one and the same point external to the signal, thus providing for a plurality of color indications from a single area. The light deiiector may be of any suitable type, and for any given type the articular construction of this deilector willi depend upon the number of sources of light which are pro-v vided inthe'signal. The basic rinciple will be the same in any instance, owever,l this principle being that the parallelism of the rays from each source of light is maintained throughout the signal; that is, the rays in ewchbeam are Vparallel when they reach the light deiiector, and continue to be parallel after the beani is deiected by this device.` I will describe two forms ofsignals ein-- surfaces face of the front side of the-device so'that` bodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view showing one 'form of light signal embodying my invention, the signal shown in this view comprising a refracting device as the light deflector. Figs. 2, 3 and 4, are fragmentary views of the refracting device L shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the mannerV in which the luminous rays from each lamp are projected to and through this device. Fig. 5 is a view showing in rear elevation the refracting device L which is shown in section in the preceding views. Fig. 6 is a view showing a modiiication of the signalshown in Fig. A1, and also embodying my invention, the signal shown in this view comprisin a reflecting device instead of a refracting evice as the light delector. Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary views of the reflecting device Ll shown in Fig. 6, illustrating the manner in which the rays from the vlight sources are deflected and projected by this device. Fig. 9 is a view showing in front elevation the refleeting device La which is shown in section in Fig. 6. y

Similar reference characters' refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Fig. 1', the signal in the form here shown comprises three incandescent lamps G, Y and R, and a light 'deiiector L in the form ofa refracting device. For each lamp I provide a pair of lenses K, K arranged to project a beam of parallel rays from the lamp to the device L. These beams are caused to differ in color by any suitable means, such, for example, as by coloring one of the lenses foreach lamp. The beams projected from the lamps G, Y and R may, for instance, be made green, yellow and red, respectively. Y y

As here shown, the front side vof the refracting device Lis smooth or plane, while the reverse or rear side is formed at regular spaced intervals withl parallel pairs of oppotend transverse] across the device, the intervening surfaces 2 between adjacentvpalrs of P and P' being parallel to the surstriking such surfaces P2 are beams of light and'P' when not refracted. The surfaces? considered in conjunction with the front or plane side of the device constitute'reversely disposed prisms and w-ill be hereinafter referred to as such.

When lamp Y is illuminated, the ra s' therefrom which strike the surface P2 of t e refractng device L will pass directly through the device lwithout deflection, but the rays which strike the surfaces P and P will be refracted substantially as indicated by the dash lines in fFig. 3. The signal is so positioned that the rays from lamp Y which pass directly throughthe device .L without refraction, and which are shown in solid lines in Fig. 3, are projected toward the point or points from which the indications given by the signal are to be observed. The rays which are projected in this direction may aptly be termed the useful rays.

Assume now that lamp Y is extinguished and lamp Gvilluminatevd. The prisms P are so designed that the raysifrom lamp G strik ing thereon are deiected and are projected in the same direction as were the useful rays from lamp Y, as shown by the solid lines in Fig.' 2; the remaining rays from lamp G are projected in other directions as indicated by the dash lines in this view. Similarly, when lamp R is illuminated (Fig. 4), the rays therefrom which strike prisms P, and which are the useful rays, are deHected so that they are projected in the same directionV as the useful rays from lamp Y, as indicated by the lsolid lines, whilethe remaining rays from this lamp are projected in other directions.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that when one of the lamps G, Y and R isilluminated, a'beam of light is projected from the refracting device L, andl that the direction in Whichthis beam is projected is the same regardless of the lamp from which it emanates, the color of such beam depending upon which lamp is illuminated. I have found that when an observer is in the path of this beam and at a considerable distance from the signal the'entire surface of the dev1ce L appears to be illuminated..

j If desired, each surface P, P and P2, may be made slightly concave or convex, to spread each beam of useful rays projected by the signal. Such construction is particularly useful for signals which are to be used on railway curves.

In the practical application of my invention to railway signaling systems, the lamps G, Y and RA indicate clear caution and stop respectively, and may be controlled in any desired manner to'indicate traiic conditions in advance of the-signal, as will be understood by vthose versed in the art of railwa signaling. In this instance, this contro is accomplished by a polarized relay X, which maybe governed 1n any desired manner. Relay X is .provided with three neutral armature contacts designated 2, 3

and 4 respectively, and a polarized armature contact 5, which contacts control the suppry of.current from a battery Z to the lamps Y and R. The circuit for lampfir is from battery Z through wire 20, lanip G, wire 21, polarized armature contact"5, w1re 22, armature contact 2, wire 23, to battery Z. It will thus be seen that lamp G is illuminated only when relay X is energized in such directions as to cause polarized armature contact 5 to swing to the left. The circuit for lamp Y is from battery Z, through wires 20 and 24, lamp Y, wire 25, armature contact 3, wire 26, polarized armature contact 5, wire 22,

Varmature contact 2, and wire 23 to battery Z. The lamp Y is therefore illuminated only when relay X is energized in such direction as to cause polarized armature contact 5 to swing to the right. The circuit for lamp R is from batte-ry Z, through wires 20 and 27, lamp R, wire 28, lower point of armature contact 4, wires 29 and 23 to battery. Lamp R is therefore illuminated only when relay X is denergized.

Referring now to Fig. 6, the signal in the form here shown comprises only two lamps G and R instead of three as injFig. 1, and

the light delector La is in the form of a' reflecting device instead of refracting device as in Fig. v1. rlhis reflecting device comprises two sets of reflecting surfaces Q and Q. The surfaces Q are. so arranged and located that therays from lamp G are projected back in the direction indicated in Figs. 6 and 7, while the surfaces Q are so arranged and located that the beamfrom lamp is projected back in the same direction as shown in Fig. 8. Thel beam which is projected from the signal will of course be of one color or the other depending on which lamp is illuminated.

The reflecting device La is preferably. so designed, as shown in the drawings, that the entlre beam of light from each .source is re` Iiected in the desiredv direction. That is, each surface Q is preferably parallel to the v v direction of. the beam projected from lamp R, and each surface Q parallel to the direction of the beam from lamp G. Every ray from lamp Gr, then, strikes a reflecting surface Q, and every ray from lamp R strikes a reiiecting surface Q. All of the light from direction without destroyingthe parallelism of the rays. The deiector L or L, then,

constitutes the ultimate light-emitting surface, so that no objective lens is required,

Although I/have shown and described only two forms of light signals embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein Within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

l. A signa-1 comprising a plurality of sources of light, means for projecting parallel rays of different colors from said sources to a common area, and means located in said common area for receiving and projecting rays from each of said sources of light in one common direction.

2. A signal comprising a plurality of sources of light, means for projecting parallel rays of different colors from said sources to a. common area, controlling means for each source of light whereby any one of said sources may be illuminated, and a deflec-tor located in said common area for projecting rays from each source in one commo-n direction.

3. A signal comprising a light deflector, a plurality of lamps, a plurality of lenses O'f different colors one for each of said lamps, each of said lenses being arranged to project parallel rays of colored light from its lamp to said deflector, said deflector being so constructed as to project rays from each of'said lamps in one and the same direction and to give the appearance, exteriorly of the defiector, that the deflector is fully illuminated.

4. A signal comprising a light deflector, a plurality of sources of' light, means for projecting parallel rays of light from any one of said sources upon said deflector, said deflector comprising a plurality of reflecting surfaces arranged to project rays from each source in the same given direction.

5. A signal comprising a light deflector, a. plurality of sources of light, means for projecting parallel rays of light from any om` of said sources upon said deflector, said dcflcctor comprising a plurality of sets of reflecting surfaces, one set for each of said light sources, the surfaces of each set being arranged to project rays from the corresponding source in a given direction.

6. A signal comprising a plurality of sources of light, means for projecting parallel rays of light from each source to a common area, and a deflector located in the said common area and constructed to project rays from rany one of said sources in the same given direction to give the appearance at one and the same point exteriorly of the deflector, that said deflector is fully illuminated.

7. A light signal comprising' a plurality 'of sources ofv light, means associated with each source for projecting a beam of substantially parallel rays from the source upon a common area, and optical means located at said common area for projecting rays from said several beams in one common direction While maintaining the rays from each source substantially parallel With each other.

8. A light signal comprising a plurality of sources of light, means associated With each source for projecting a beam of substantially parallel rays from the source upon a common area, and a reflecting device located at said common area. and comprising a plurality of surfaces arranged to deflect the several beams in one common direction While maintaining the rays in each beam substantially parallel With each other.

9. A light signal comprising a plurality of sources of light, means associated With each source for projecting a. beam of substantially parallel rays from the source upon a. common area, and a reflecting device located at said common area and comprising a plurality of sets of reliecting surfaces one for each source, each set being arranged to deflect the beam from the corresponding source, and each reflecting surface heilig substantially parallel to the beam which is projected upon the reflecting device from another of said sources.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CLARENCE S.l SNAVELY. Witnesses l E. P. CHUM, MARY A. KENNEDY. 

